What kind of relationship did Adam and Eve have with God?
Everything was perfect, and so were they. The Bible tells us they (and all of mankind) were made in the image and likeness of God. They also had a free will. So whether they stayed in that perfect state (united to God) was up to them.
In that perfect state, their union with God is how they completely lived their lives.
There was ONE and only one rule. You know what it was. ”don’t eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:17)
That tells us clearly that before Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there wasn’t any awareness of what was good or what was bad. Instead, there was only godliness; or god-like thinking and behaving. Adam and Eve were totally God dependent, relying on His ways, and completely dependent on him for how they conducted theirs. There wasn’t any knowledge of what was right and wrong, good or bad until they disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now, mankind, separated from God-consciousness, just as Adam and Eve had become, is judging for themselves what is right/wrong and good/evil. But this is NOT how God wanted it. So He sent his son, Jesus to come and restore that union between us and God. For those that put their trust in Him, they become plugged back in and united with God once again.
We are now in Him and He is in us.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing….”
So ask yourself,
Is relationship with God about carrying out good morals and ethics? Is that really what God was after in the garden or in His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ?
Adam and Eve didn’t have the 10 commandments, the 600 other laws under Moses, and remember, before the Law, there wasn’t even any punishment for immoral behavior. Yet there was sin.
Romans 5:13 For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Let’s take morals and ethics out of the picture for a moment.
What was Adam and Eve’s relationship with God like?
They didn’t try to appease God with good behavior; their actions were already in sync with His righteousness.
They didn’t spend their time confessing their failures; their actions were already perfect
They didn’t pray for help, because everything they needed was already given.
But I think there is one thing they did. And it is what we are to do today.
Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV) In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:6 (NLT) Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Before Satan enticed Eve, this was all they knew to do. It was the essence of their relationship with God. Much like children who imitate their parents, seeks their ways and receives all their needs from them. But after the Fall, their connection to God was severed and the natural state of dependence on Him was lost; no longer desiring to imitate God, but seeking their own ways and meeting their own needs independent of Him.
Now that Jesus has come, the gift of righteousness is given to those who will believe in what He accomplished on their behalf. We are reunited and joined together with God again, and can be led by the spirit of God in us. Totally God conscious, God dependent, and given a personal relationship with God, totally independent of our actions.
Through our union with God, grace then teaches us God’s ways. Our dependence on Him gives us everything we need for life and godly living. We no longer need to relate to God through rules, laws, or moral obligations and are justified.
The apostle Paul tells us that the law is no longer the means of righteousness or right-standing with God.
Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace
Romans 3:21-24 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed…….even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe
Our right standing with God, our acceptance into fellowship with Him and therefore our relationship is now based on our faith in Christ.
Now that this is out of the way, what kind of relationship did Jesus come to give us with the Father?
Totally God conscious, God dependent, having a personal relationship with God, totally independent of our actions.
It looks like Adam and Eve’s relationship in the Garden. Praise God!!